Dik A. Daso
Recent stories by Dik A. Daso
Congress to USAF: Not So Fast on Your Reorg Plans
The Department of the Air Force’s plans to “reoptimize for great power competition” have gotten a skeptical reception in Congress, as lawmakers are asking for more information before any changes go into effect and asking for an audit of the decision-making process.
‘Flying IEDs’: Combatant Commanders Tell Congress Small Drones Are a Big Problem
Russia is producing more than 100 Iranian-designed drones a week for its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, a top U.S. military commander told Congress, providing a fresh example of how small drones are changing modern warfare across the globe.
Indo-Pacific Command Wants to Triple the Air Force’s Buy of Joint Strike Missiles
America’s Pacific forces want more missiles—and a lot of them—according to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s wish list for fiscal 2025. A standout of INDOPACOM’s unfunded priorities list—items not contained in the budget—is the Joint Strike Missile (JSM), an advanced standoff munition being developed for the Air ...
Ukraine’s Survival ‘In Danger’ if West Fails to Help, Austin Says
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III issued a grave warning March 19 of Ukraine’s chances in its war with Russia if the U.S. does not continue to provide military assistance. “Today, Ukraine's survival is in danger,” Austin told reporters. Austin's remarks came at a ...
Niger Junta Calls for US to Leave, but Pentagon Says Troops Remain at Air Bases for Now
Niger's ruling military junta says U.S. troops must leave the country, which would deprive the U.S. military of key air bases used for counterterrorism operations including one that the U.S. military spent $100 million dollars to build just a few years ago. But the Pentagon ...
Air National Guard No. 2 Nominated to Become New Director
President Joe Biden has nominated Maj. Gen. Duke A. Pirak to pin on a third star and become the next director of the Air National Guard, the Pentagon announced March 18. If confirmed by the Senate, Pirak will replace the current head of the ANG, ...
US Air Force C-17s Join in on Gaza Aid Airdrops
The U.S. Air Force has begun using large, quad-jet C-17s to airdrop aid into Gaza, as the U.S. leaders express increasing concern about the humanitarian situation there.
France Tapped as New Air Force Commander in Middle East
Maj. Gen. Derek C. France has been nominated to become the top U.S. Air Force commander in the Middle East, the Pentagon announced on March 14. If confirmed, he will have to deal with continued unrest in the region that has resulted in multiple rounds ...
Study Shows Higher Rates of Some Cancers in ICBM Personnel
The Air Force found increased rates of breast and prostate cancers in service members who worked on nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles compared to the general population, according to a preliminary study of data publicly released on March 13. “What we don’t know is whether these ...
To Help Explain Re-Optimization Changes, DAF Has Senior Leaders ‘Going Out’ to the Force
The Department of the Air Force is undertaking its biggest overhaul since the Cold War, with new commands, ranks, units, and training. And now, the services must sell the changes to the force of nearly 700,000 Airmen and Guardians. “One of the biggest challenges is ...
Air Force Plans to Divest 250 Aircraft in 2025, Shrinking Fleet to New Low
The Air Force plans to shrink its total aircraft inventory in fiscal 2025, cutting its plans for new airframes while continuing to retire old platforms, the service revealed in its budget request, released on March 11. The Air Force plans to divest 250 aircraft in ...
Pentagon Clears V-22 to Start Flying Again After Three-Month Grounding
Naval Air Systems Command lifted the grounding order on its V-22 Osprey fleet on March 8, and Air Force Special Operations Command announced it would take a phased approach to get its CV-22 variant of the tiltrotor aircraft flying again after a three-month pause in ...
USAF C-130s Conduct Humanitarian Aid Airdrops Into Gaza
Three U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules aircraft conducted airdrops of humanitarian aid into Gaza alongside two Royal Jordanian Air Force C-130s on March 2. The U.S. aircraft took off from Jordan and dropped 66 bundles—22 per aircraft—with over 38,000 meals ready to eat (MREs). ...
German Navy Mistakenly Fires Missiles at USAF MQ-9 Over Red Sea
A U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper came close to being shot down by a German warship in a friendly fire incident over the Red Sea on Feb. 27, U.S. officials told Air & Space Forces Magazine. The USAF MQ-9 was targeted by the German frigate ...
Lawmakers Grill Austin Over Secret Hospitalization
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III insisted he “never intended” to keep his hospitalization following complications from prostate cancer surgery a secret, amid grilling from lawmakers over his failure to notify the White House, lawmakers, and the public of his medical situation, despite having ...